HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 638

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Walk, Schmidt and Zellinsky; by request of Governor Gardner)

Increasing the fees for driving record abstracts.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (16)

     Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Dellwo, Fisher, Gallagher, Heavey, Kremen, Meyers, Spanel, Sutherland, Todd, Vekich and K. Wilson.

Minority Report:     Do not pass.  (2)

     Signed by Representatives Doty and C. Smith.

House Staff:Gene Schlatter (786-7316)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 21, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Revenue projections indicate shortfalls for the Washington State Patrol, the Marine Division of the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Driver Services Division of the Department of Licensing.

The shortfall in the Washington State Patrol is in the State Patrol Highway Account within the Motor Vehicle Fund (MVF).  This Account is funded by motor vehicle registration fees--$15.60 of the $23.00 for new registrations and $15.60 of the $19.00 renewal fee.

Revenue sources for the Marine Division include the Puget Sound Ferry Operations Account (PSFOA) within the MVF, ferry fares and miscellaneous revenues.  27.3 percent of the motor vehicle registration fees and 3.21 percent of the 17-cent motor vehicle fuel tax are deposited in the PSFOA.

The shortfall for the Driver Services Division of the Department of Licensing is in the Highway Safety Fund.  Revenue sources include $10.20 of the $14.00 license fee and the $3.50 charge for copies of record.

SUMMARY:

The charge for copies of record is increased from $3.50 to $4.50 and is deposited in the Highway Safety Fund.

The bill takes effect June 1, 1987.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on June 1, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Bob Benson, Office of Financial Management.

House Committee - Testified Against: Marty Sangster, Washington Trucking Association; James Fricke, Pacific Northwest Transportation Industries, Inc.; Paul W. Locke, citizen.

House Committee - Testimony For:     A .3 percent increase in the motor vehicle excise tax is an equitable funding mechanism for sustaining transportation-related activities in the Washington State Patrol and the Marine Division of the Department of Transportation.

Raising driver license fees by $4.00 and copies of record fees by $1.00 will provide an appropriate funding mechanism to sustain the Department of Licensing's operations at current service levels throughout the next biennium.

House Committee - Testimony Against: Pacific Northwest Transportation Industries and the Washington Trucking Association argued that the increased motor vehicle excise taxes would place an undue hardship upon their respective businesses.